A Heart on Fire
by WantedWild
Summary: Set after X-3. Just when life is starting to return to normal, another Class Five is shoved in his face. What is with Logan and female mutants that just happen to be able to destroy the world?
1. Chapter 1

_X-Men, please assemble in my office_.

Logan smirked as he let out one final puff of smoke. No matter how urgent the situation may be- and Wolverine sensed from the Professor's mental tone that it _was_ urgent- Xavier never forgot his manners.

The burly man turned and reluctantly began loping back into the mansion, ignoring the children who warily watched him.

It had been four months since Jean's death. Two months ago they had discovered their beloved Xavier inhabiting the body of a cancer patient, waiting for them to find him. It had taken time, but just two weeks ago the X-Men had found a man who had been held in a comatose for a year after a car accident. After shaving his head and transferring the Professor to this new host, everything had run smoothly. Logan had silently watched Storm hastily rub the tears from her eyes when those oh-so-familiar blue eyes had opened. And even the ex-assassin himself had felt a small twinge in his heart when Xavier had proudly strode into his school on two fully-functional legs.

Things were finally starting to return to normal in the school; at least for the children.

As expected, Logan was the last to arrive to the meeting. In the absence of Jean and Scott, Xavier's team now consisted of Storm, Hank McCoy, Angel, Bobby, Kitty, Peter, and finally Logan. Hank was still actively pushing for mutant's rights in politics, but his home base had once again become the mansion.

"Ah, Logan, glad to have you join us," Xavier calmly said when the clawed mutant stalked through the door. Wolverine merely nodded.

"What's up?" Kitty finally asked when the silence began to drag out. This was the first official meeting the X-Men had had since they had found the Professor.

"I've received word of a very powerful mutant, in San Fransisco. I would like Storm to bring the mutant here. Angel, Kitty, Peter, and Logan will accompany her. I advise the utmost caution and…diplomacy."

Funny how the old man's gaze landed on Wolverine as he added that last part. "Logan…"

"No promises, Chuck."

"Well, please try, at the very least."

"That's up to him."

"Her, actually." The older man turned to the rest of the team. "You're looking for a woman."

"What kind of mutant is she, Professor?" Hank wondered.

The grave look that suddenly appeared in Xavier's eyes put everyone on edge.

"She's a Class Five."

Fuck.

The word echoed through Logan's brain. And from the looks on the others' faces, they were hearing the same damn word.

"But, Professor…" Storm murmured in shock. "Surely not…If her powers have indeed manifested, how could she stay undetected for so long?"

Xavier sighed. "My child, I know little more than you. Her mind was blocked from me in a most peculiar manner. And, as you all know, my abilities have lessened since my return." His words were spoken calmly and without resentment; the use of a new body and pair of legs had come at a relatively small price in comparison. But the Professor could only just control Cerebro now.

Logan snarled low in his throat. "I ain't allowin' a damn Class Five in this place, Chuck! Not with all the kids here." He fought the urge to bring out his claws just for emphasis. Ever since he had decided to stay at the mansion indefinitely, the Wolverine had become fiercely protective of the grounds and anyone in it. His baser instincts had marked it as his territory, and he'd be damned if he was gonna let a walking nuclear bomb stroll right in.

_The bitch better stay far away_, his inner voice growled. And Logan wholeheartedly intended to keep it that way.


	2. Chapter 2

Logan hated flying. On solid ground he was powerful, lethal…dangerous.

But up here in the jet he was as useful as a flopping fish. He hated fish.

"Relax, Logan," Storm advised with a small grin as she moved easily up and down the X-Jet. "We're almost there."

"And I'm damn sure ya said the same thing half an hour ago," he muttered even as he forced his sweaty fists to relax.

Five minutes later the cloaked vehicle landed in an abandoned park. Logan and Angel were the first out; Angel had not said anything, but the Wolverine could tell that he did not like closed spaces. He felt the same way.

_Head to the Golden Gate Bridge_, Xavier's distant voice said in their heads. As it appeared that this mutant was always moving, the Professor was currently controlling Cerebro and tracking her movements to relay the information to the team.

"Alright everyone, let's go," Storm said as they set off. Logan rolled his eyes as he covered the rear; in their X-uniforms they looked like a bunch of ninjas. _So much for blending in_.

After a good thirty minutes of walking, they finally reached the colossal red bridge. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary; in this morning light cars were cruising over it and a few were strolling along the sidewalks.

Logan saw no sign of a Class Five mutant anywhere.

"You sure she's still 'ere?" he asked the group.

"I can fly up and do a check," offered Angel. Storm nodded and he took off.

As the rest of the team continued walking along the bridge, a faint smell hit Logan's senses. It smelled at once of earth, and rain, and burning paper.

But as they walked closer to the smell, all they saw was a young boy of about fourteen. And the smell was not coming from him.

_It's comin' from under the bridge_, Logan realized. "Storm! She's under us!"

"I can hear you, ya know."

"Shit!" Everyone spun around to see their target calmly floating over the edge back onto the sidewalk. The Wolverine did a quick analysis: medium height, toned build, dark olive skin tone, long black hair. She looked fit, like she worked out.

Storm pushed her way to the front of the group. "What's your name?" she inquired politely.

"Cam. Yours?"

"I'm Ororo Munroe, and this is Kitty, Peter, and Logan. We're m-"

"Mutants, I know."

"How?" This came from Kitty.

Cam smirked. "Y'all ain't the hardest people to spot. Especially in those uniforms. When you didn't freak out at me, I figured you'd be one of 'em."

Logan sniffed for any signs of lies, but it was like there was a small wind spinning around her that jumbled any signals. He was more curious than ever to know just what her Class Five powers were. So far all he could see was some wind control, but Storm could do that too. There had to be more than that, right?

At that moment Angel swooped down, eliciting a small gasp from Cam as she stared in awe at his white wings.

"This is Warren," Storm introduced. "He's with us as well."

"Obviously." Cam eyed the white-haired woman. "Who are you guys?"

"We work at Xavier's School for the Gifted. It's a home for mutants, where they can live safe lives and learn to use their abilities. We heard that you're a very powerful mutant and so we-"

"I can control my powers just fine, thank you," Cam snapped. "I've had 'em for twenty-four years, you know."

Kitty gasped. "No way! You don't look that old!"

Cam grinned at the girl, whom Logan had to agree with. The woman could not be older than twenty-seven. "I'm thirty-four, darlin'. But thanks."

"Excuse me," Angel said politely. "But what can you do, exactly?"

Cam shrugged and tossed her hair back. Logan's eyes zeroed-in on her face. Large grey eyes and delicate features.

"Element control. You know, fire, water, air, plant stuff." She ticked them off with her fingers as if reading from a grocery list. "So y'all have a school for mutants?"

"Yep." Kitty nodded enthusiastically and gestured towards Peter and herself. "We're actually students there. I can phase through walls, and he can turn to steel." They both did a small demonstration.

Cam's eyes gleamed. "Cool."

Logan snarled at her. "Don't act like you ain't all powerful and shit. We know what you are."

To everyone's surprise, Cam returned his feral growl perfectly. "A mutant?"

"A Class Five."

"Logan!" Storm's voice rang out sharply.

Cam's anger seemed to fade and she nodded. "Yeah. So? It ain't like I'm the first. Wasn't there another one a while before?"

The X-Men exchanged looks. "Yeah, there was. But she's gone."

"What happened?"

All eyes turned to Logan.

"I gutted her." And six adamantium-laced claws appeared.

The look on Cam's face was priceless. "Well, don't get any ideas."

The Canadian smiled viciously. "Too late."


	3. Chapter 3

**The updates may be coming fast for a while, so keep up. ;)**

**And also, I greatly appreciate any and every one of those people who takes the time to give a review. It means the world to me. Thank you so much, and enjoy!**

Logan watched Cam as she closed her eyes and clenched her fists; he could smell the anger on her, the anger he had brought out. It gave him a sense of triumph, but he could not help but wonder if baiting a Class Five was the best idea.

_Well, I don't give a fuck_, he added to himself. _This is maybe Chuck's worst idea yet, bringin' her to the mansion_.

"Cam," Storm placated, "you'll have to excuse Logan. He's a little rough around the edges." Logan smirked at that. Ever the diplomat, their Storm.

"But our school is a wonderful place. I grew up there, and learned to control my powers. The last Class Five…she was my sister." Only Wolverine's sensitive ears could pick up the catch in Ororo's throat. "She grew up there too, and would have caused a lot more damage if it hadn't been for us. We offer you a safe home."

Cam remained silent for some time. "A school? Like, for kids?" she asked at last.

"Yes, for young mutants. We give them a safe upbringing and also help them control their powers. When they get older they can choose to leave or stay behind and join us."

Peter, who so far had remained silent, finally stepped forward. "It's a good place," he said in his soft voice. Cam had to back up to gaze at his face. "We're all family there."

His words seemed to bring out a strange emotion in the Class Five's expressive eyes. Her next words were slow and cautious. "If I know a kid who…could use a place like that, would he be accepted?"

"Of course," Storm replied warmly. "Any mutant in need is welcome with open arms. No charge."

A small smile appeared on Cam's face. "Well, what do you think?" she called out, staring past the X-Men at someone else. To everyone's surprise, she was speaking to the young old boy who had been there this whole time.

With spiky blond hair, blue eyes, and a thin frame, Logan figured he was no more than fifteen years old. He timidly hurried to Cam's side and whispered in her ear.

The Wolverine, however, heard it. "Will you come with me?" the boy had asked her.

Cam sighed and ruffled his hair. "We'll see."

To Storm, she said, "This is Link, my little brother. He can sense other mutants, and switch around their powers, and also borrow them."

Storm smiled. "Hello, Link." The Nubian's smile seemed to slightly relax the hesitant boy, but he still clutched Cam's arm tightly.

"Link, you're killin' my arm here."

"Sorry." His grip loosened. Logan watched them with interest; something about them reminded him of Rogue and himself.

"I'll come to your school, if Link is allowed to…study there. And I ain't makin' no guarantees about staying. Deal?"

_No deal, no deal_, Logan pleaded in his head.

"Deal."

Sometimes he hated Storm. And the Professor. And life in general.

As it turned out, Cam and Link did not have a home, and everything they had was held in two shoulder packs. So with only one delay- Cam wanted to stop by a coffee shop to say bye to the man at the counter, who almost had tears in his eyes- they left the city.

When they boarded the X-Jet, Cam gripped Logan's shoulder hard and whispered something in his ear, something that made him want to run his claws through that pretty face of hers.

"Stay out of my way and we won't have a problem, Clawboy."

God, he hoped she left soon, because, Class Five or not, he could and _would_ kill her.

After all, he'd done it before. And if he could murder the woman he loved, then exterminating this annoying woman would be only too easy.


	4. Chapter 4

**OK, I made this chapter twice as long as the others, and you get more of a look inside Cam's head. Enjoy! And any reviews are greatly valued. The romance between Cm and Logan will come eventually, but only after they stop hating each other. I'm not a huge fan of those "love at first sight" things. **

Cam could barely contain her smirk as they cruised through the air in the jet. For some reason it made her want to laugh that she was flying in a high-tech vehicle when she could fly right next to it just as fast.

_Wait till these suckers see that_, she thought mirthfully. In the seat next to her, Link was staring around at the jet in awe. Even Cam had to admit that it was one hell of a toy.

The woman called Storm was running the vehicle. When Link had guessed her powers through his own, Cam had immediately felt a small bond to the white-haired mutant. After all, their powers were very similar. Not only that, but there was a sort of soothing aura about the Nubian. Yes, Cam approved of her.

The two youngest, Kitty and Peter, were sitting in front of her and whispering excitedly. Of course, with her slightly enhanced hearing Cam was able to comfortably eavesdrop on their conversation. Mostly it was about herself and Link.

The winged mutant seemed uncomfortable about the whole ride. Cam could not blame him; she guessed that, with the breadth of his wings, keeping them shoved against his back in this closed space was not fun.

Logan sat in one corner, alone. Just the sight of him put Cam on edge, made her take deep breaths to keep from burning him alive. Not that she was sure that would work; Link's assessment of her powers had certainly piqued her curiosity and wariness. But it wasn't his mutation that worried the woman, but his actions. For one thing, he smelled of metal. Cam had never met someone who smelled like pure metal, until now. There was also his hostility towards her. Cam had lived her whole life facing such hostility, and every time she took the bait; she just could not help it. This time, she promised herself, she would not do so.

_For Link, for Link_. She repeated the familiar mantra in her head. Contrary to her ignorant appearance, Cam had heard stories of the so called X-Men, as well as the events at Alcatraz. Of course, rumors were only as good as their sources, and hers were not always to be trusted.

When they finally got their first glimpse of the school grounds, both of the newcomers were flabbergasted. However, to their subsequent horror, they did not land on the grassy lawn, but in an underground area that looked, for all intents and purposes, like a lab.

Cam immediately shot up. "What the fuck is goin' on?" she snarled.

"Relax," Storm said soothingly. "This is our basement level."

Link was urgently poking Cam. "There are so many mutants here," he whispered, his blue eyes wide. A smile broke out on his face, unwittingly drawing a similar one on the woman's. "Lots of them are my age, C'!"

Relaxing slightly, Cam was led out of the jet. Everything about this "basement" was white and sterile.

"This where you poke everyone with needles?" she growled.

Kitty laughed. "You sound just like Logan when he's mad!" she giggled.

Cam gave her a deadpan look. "I'm thrilled," she replied sarcastically. "Now let's get out of here, right now."

Storm acquiesced and took them up the elevator to the normal level, just in time to be nearly barreled by a stream of teenage mutants. Link looked like he might burst with excitement.

Cam rolled her eyes and asked, "Where's the bathroom? I think Link's gonna pee his pants soon." The boy blushed and glared at her.

The others chuckled. "I'll take you to see the Professor," Storm said.

A calm deep voice said, "No need, Ororo." Cam's eyes landed on a tall bald man, age undeterminable, with a pair of the most striking blue eyes she had ever seen. "Welcome, Cam."

"It's Cameron, actually," she said. "But hello. This is Link." She gave her brother a little nudge. He smiled shyly, a gesture which the man kindly returned.

"Interesting abilities you have, young man," he said. He then mentally added, _But you are not alone_.

Everyone heard that, but only Cameron and Link jumped at the sound of the voice in their heads.

"Brilliant! I hate telepaths," the dark woman snapped.

"Ah, but you have nothing to fear," said the man. "For, while I can sense you, your mind is blocked from me."

This was news to Cam. "Really? How?"

"I was hoping you could tell me. As far as I can tell, any attempt at entering your mind is impeded by a sensation of burning."

"Like fire?" Cam tilted her head in thought. "Well, I control the elements, so I guess they're in my mind, blocking people from getting in there. That's nice of them." Link snorted.

"My name is Charles Xavier," the Professor introduced with a smile. "I am the head of this school. We offer a school for the younger mutants, as well as an opportunity for all to better understand their mutations. But you seem to have a remarkable understanding of your own, given their strength." The piercing look he gave her made Cam want to squirm.

"Link." Xavier turned to the boy. "You are welcome to stay with us. Kitty, would you be as kind as to give him a tour?"

"Sure." Kitty beamed at the new kid. "Come on, I'll show you around."

Link hesitantly glanced at Cam, who nodded. "I'll be watching," she promised. But even as she gave him an encouraging shove she was fighting her instinct to follow her adopted brother and protect him in this new territory.

As soon as Link was out of sight Xavier's face sobered. "May we take this into my office?"

As soon as everyone crowded into the room the attention was on Xavier and the Class Five.

"Cameron, I will be completely honest with you; my reason in finding you and bringing you here is to learn for myself the extent of your mutation and your control over it."

"You plan on killin' me afterwards?" Cam wondered tersely.

The tension in the room mounted as she and Logan shared a scowl.

Xavier sighed. "Jean Grey was like a daughter to me; she was one of my first students here. When we first met, she was an extraordinary child, but her mutation was too strong for her to control, so I helped suppress it. This caused her powers to develop into an alter ego called the Phoenix, which when awoken took over Jean's body. Her lack of control would have destroyed the world if it had not been for the heroic actions of Logan."

Cam noted the tenseness of Logan's jaw throughout this narrative, but before she could dwell on it Xavier continued. "I do not want such an event to reoccur. So please, explain to us your mutation."

Cameron had been purposely vague about her abilities thus far; she did not want to lose that advantage completely. "I can control water, fire, air, and plants. I can also talk to animals, sort of. That's it." That was the truth. She had just left out the details.

"Are you sure that's all?" the Professor prodded.

"Yes, I'm pretty damn sure!" Cam ran a hand through her black hair. "Look, do you see anything blowing up? Do I look like I'm on a killing rampage? Twenty-four years, same powers, and guess what? I didn't need you guys all that time. Why the hell would I suddenly need you now?"

"Maybe because that kid of yours needs us." This came from an irritated Logan. "But," he sneered, "we don't need you. Don't kid yourself."

No matter how good the muscled man looked, he was seriously starting to grate on Cam's short nerves. "Listen, Clawboy, you don't know the first thing about me, or Link. You didn't come to S.F. for him. You came for me. So don't kid yourself." She tossed his own words right back at him. "But what sucks for both of us, is that you're right. Link needs this place, and he likes it here. So he's staying. Which means I'm staying."

Everyone except Logan gave a small sigh of relief. Angel asked, "How do you know he likes it here?"

"Because I've been watching. There's way more to me than you'll ever know, Pretty Boy."

"Storm, please find Cameron a room," Xavier quickly ordered.

"Of course, Professor. Please follow me."

Before she left Cam could not resist throwing one last smirk in Logan's direction. "See you around, Clawboy."

A middle claw was her only reply. Her loud laughter could be heard through the hallway.

Once the door closed, Angel said, "I like her."

Logan nearly choked on his own spit. "Why?"

"Because she stood up to you."

Fuck.

_She'd better watch that fine ass of hers if she wants to see tomorrow_ was the Wolverine's final thought before he pushed the newest resident out of his head and went to find Rogue.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the encouraging reviews; they really motivated me to update as soon as possible. **

**I know my writing isn't amazing and any constructive thoughts would mean the world to me. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy! **

_I can't believe I'm doin' this, I can't believe I'm frickin' doing this!_

This was what kept replaying in Cam's head as she flopped down on her very own bed, in her very own room. As soon as she had gotten settled, Link had burst in with news about the school and what he had seen and everything he was going to do.

This was quickly followed by a demand to know if she was staying. To this the woman had rolled her eyes even as she grinned. "They wouldn't give me a five-star room like this otherwise, now would they?" Truthfully there was nothing special about the room. It was small, and had a bed, a dresser, and a nightstand. Cam's favorite thing about it was the large window.

But for two people who had lived nomadic lives in a big city thus far, this was paradise.

Apparently news traveled real fast around here (Cam pictured a super-speed mutant who would periodically run down every hall shouting the news out) of the two new arrivals, because when Cam and Link came down for lunch they were greeted by a lot of stares and friendly greetings.

Link, ever the shy one, blushed and looked down at his feet when Kitty introduced him to her group of friends.

Cam, on the other hand, was greeted by the Professor before a big furry mass of blue stood in front of her.

"Hello," a rich baritone voice murmured as the blue blob stuck out a hand. "My name is Hank McCoy. I'm a doctor and teacher here."

"Cameron," the black-haired replied as she gingerly accepted the handshake. Her dark-skinned hand was completely dwarfed by his blue one. "That's a nice shade of blue," she could not help adding.

To her relief the mutant laughed. "Why thank you, Cameron. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

Cam would have replied if her nose had not smelled something so wonderful, so mouth-watering, so unimaginable. And then she saw it, just sitting there, about to be attacked by twelve teenage mutants.

"Hey! THAT CHEESECAKE IS MINE!" she roared like a tigress. The deafening silence that followed allowed her to summon a small wind to push the last slice towards her. Only when it was stuffed in her mouth did the chatter commence again, now more focused on her than before.

Storm, Xavier, Hank, Angel, and a surly Logan were all standing in one corner during this display. When Cam returned to them just to tell Hank, "Thanks for the offer," he guffawed.

"So," he began conversationally. "Will you become a teacher, Cameron? We are on a severe shortage of them."

She shrugged. "Two years of community college right here, Blue, and that was fifteen years ago. Not prime teaching material. I'm assuming all of you guys went to the best colleges out there, except Clawboy over there." The looks on their faces guaranteed it.

The Class Five could not help but sigh and turn away. Here she was, surrounded by cultured adults, and she already felt like a waste of space. Ironically, the only one who might understand her situation would be Logan.

It brought into clear focus, Xavier's main goal in bringing her here. She knew it would not matter if she did any work around here, she would be allowed to remain. Because Xavier needed to keep the Class Five close, to keep an eye on her.

_For Link, remember_, she began to repeat as she stepped outside into the cold night air. Immediately her frazzled nerves calmed down and she took a deep breath.

"Hello," said a soft voice behind her. It looks like Pretty Boy had followed her.

"What's your name again?" she asked without turning around.

"Warren, codename Angel."

"I like 'Pretty Boy' better." Cam turned around to face him. In the light of the moon, with his pure white wings relaxed and slightly unfurled, she really could understand how some might call him an angel.

"Look, I know this place can be a little…overwhelming. I felt the same way at first. But it's a good place for us. We don't have to hide anymore."

Cam understood all this. Except that, "I was just fine before, though. Link and I, we were fine with our life. S.F. is my home, for thirty-four years. And if it wasn't for his sake I wouldn't be here either. I know that I'm only here because I'm a Class Five, but there's more to me than that. But," she added with a small smile when Angel looked down in shame, "thank you. There's more to you than your looks, apparently."

They shared a smile as well as a new sense of understanding. Angel's smile widened as he scrutinized her more; she really was beautiful, now that he saw it. Most people would consider dark skin to be a turn-off, but it gave her this earthiness that suited her blunt personality. She was not the classic fair-skinned version of beautiful, but she was exotic.

"Maybe we can fly together sometime," Cam offered, wondering what it would be like to share the skies with someone else.

"That would be great."

Hearing someone call for Angel, he left after shooting her an apologetic smile. As soon as he was gone Cam's smile turned upside down and she peered into the shadows. "You can come out, Clawboy."

She always did hate the smell of cigars. He emerged from the darkness, Stetson had in place, leather jacket on.

"I wouldn't get too comfortable here," he warned after a minute of total silence. "You do one thing to hurt those kids, one thing, and you'll be gone."

For a minute Logan saw hurt flash in her expressive grey eyes. "You forget, one of those is mine." The wind picked up around them. "What did I ever do to you?"

To that he had no answer, but he did not let his guard down. "This place has seen a lot. We lost some good people. They can't afford to lose anymore."

Cameron's eyes glazed over as the wind threatened to buffet Logan away. "Don't mess with me, Clawboy," she told him at last. "I've seen a lot too. I've lost a hell of a lot of people. But you wouldn't know. Now I'd get inside; there's a storm headed this way."

For fear of losing his beloved hat Logan did as advised, but not before blowing one final puff in her direction.

Cameron watched through the window as Link smiled and laughed with the other children. It gave her consolation to know that she was indirectly making him happy through her own isolation.

_For Link, for Link_.

As the Class Five had told him, there was a storm that night. Logan had a feeling she was the cause of it too.

He lay awake in bed, listening to the rain beat down on his window. His healing factor helped shield him from the effects of sleep deprivation for long periods of time.

He would rather face those effects than the nightmares.

Before they had been filled with clips from his past, of the horrors he had faced, of the pain he had felt and caused.

Now they were much, much worse. Now they were about Jean.

Knowing that the Phoenix had chosen him while Jean had chosen Scott tore his heart out. But knowing that he had killed the Jean he loved to kill the Phoenix who loved him; that tore his soul out. And having to relive that moment every night was unbearable.

Cameron was nothing like Jean, from what he could tell. And she certainly was in control of her powers.

So why did he still want her gone?

The hurt look in her large eyes haunted him through the night, as her rain pattered against the window.


	6. Chapter 6

**I guess I should have mentioned this in the beginning, but I guess it doesn't matter when I do it, so here: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE MARVEL CHARACTERS. **

**Now that we've settled that, enjoy! And review, if you can. We all live for those "A new comment has been posted on your story" updates, you know. ;)**

For both Link and Cameron, waking up in a soft bed under a solid roof was magical, a feeling they felt only they could understand. That heavenly feeling increased dramatically when they discovered breakfast. Being early risers, they managed to beat the main crowd and stuff themselves to their heart's content.

Soon after breakfast, Link was approached by Storm, who gave him a schedule of his classes. The fear in her brother's eyes worried Cam.

Therefore, as Link moved through his first day of school here, his big sister sat outside each class like a watchdog. She even listened in on the classes and made note of the myriad of mutations within the student population. Seeing Link conversing with a few of them from yesterday's dinner was a big relief.

_He's gonna be okay_.

The most boring class was Storm's. It was in her History session that Cam almost fell asleep. To combat her drooping eyelids she absentmindedly started belching out the words to one of her favorite songs.

"I am STRONG. I am INVINCIBLE! I. Am. WOMAN!" she roared, slapping her cheeks repeatedly. It worked.

Until she heard Storm's class erupt into laughter. Storm desperately tried to regain control and looked to Cameron for help, but the Class Five was laughing just as hard as her students.

Maybe this school would be alright.

Cam was still chuckling when she was summoned to Xavier's office.

"Somethin' wrong?" she asked in-between sniggers.

The Professor smiled patiently and stood up. "Come, my dear."

Once they got in the elevator her chuckles disappeared.

Logan and Hank were waiting for them when the basement doors opened. Cam nervously followed the men into a large circular room.

"We call this the Danger Room." Xavier's voice echoed from a microphone in the control room. "This is where we practice using our abilities and working as a team. Everything you see, while not real, can still hurt you, and at higher levels can be fatal. So treat this accordingly."

While listening to the Professor, Cam had not noticed the other two mutants leave the room. She was not alone in the Danger Room.

"We will start you on Level One and move up."

In the blink of an eye everything changed. Where once there had been white walls there were now tall skyscrapers and crowded streets.

"This is _so _cool," the woman murmured, before her excitement turned to confusion. "Where's the bad guy?"

When a bunch of thugs ran towards her, she had her answer.

Logan watched as the Class Five ducked, dodged, and blocked nearly every attack before sending a few of her own. Her movements were smooth and efficient, as if this was merely a part of her regular regime.

_Maybe it was_, he realized. After all, she had lived on the streets of San Fransisco.

"Level Two," a mechanical voice beeped out. And suddenly there were more thugs, appearing from thin air. There were also a few pedestrians now who were in harm's way.

Cameron passed through this level with ease as well, but now the men in the control room were getting a little irritated. She had yet to use her powers.

"Level Three."

Still no sign of explosions or any sort of mutation at all.

It was not until Level Six, which consisted of angry mutants and one very angry robot, that Logan got his first glimpse at her true abilities.

Cam was having _fun_. This was what she did best, what she was born to do: fight. In her natural element and familiar surroundings, she hardly had to think before making her move. And knowing that she was making three men up there very frazzled was a definite bonus.

But when Level Six arrived, things changed.

Who knew how long she had been fighting up till then? Caught up in the adrenaline she had not noticed the sweaty sheen on her skin or the slight ache in her muscles as she moved.

It took a shot in the chest to notice it.

_That's one hell of a robot_, she thought with a grimace, barely moving in time to avoid another attack by one of the mutants. This one was a teleporter.

_If he would just…sit…still…_ Cam gritted her teeth as he kept disappearing. The other mutants, one with super speed and another with colossal strength, were closing in. The robot was still there as well.

Till this point Xavier, Hank, and Logan had been watching intently, admiring her skills but getting frustrated by the lack of evidence for her mutation.

But that all changed when the entire Danger Room was suddenly wreathed in flames so thick they saw nothing else until it vanished a few seconds later. All that was left was a panting Cameron as Hank ended the simulation.

Logan and Xavier were already entering the room to where Cam was waiting for them.

From the looks on their faces she knew she had some explaining to do. "I was saving it," she reasoned, "until I needed it. I'm not _always_ a Class Five, you know. I'm just the only one who can access Class Five power. Normally, like right now, I'm just a Class Four. Even what you saw was nothing, honestly. A little fire, anyone can do that. So trust me," she added with a breathy laugh, "you ain't seen nothin' yet."

The Professor seemed to accept her explanation and absentmindedly requested Logan to show her back to her room to rest.

The walk back was tense when Cameron finally broke the silence. "Link told me you had claws, and could heal faster than anything, and had heightened senses or something."

He grunted an affirmative. "Kid's right. So?"

"So why do you smell like metal?"

Logan looked at her in surprise before rightly guessing, "Heightened senses."

She nodded and smirked. "So?"

He thought about it for a minute before shrugging; everyone else in the mansion knew, so she was bound to hear it anyways.

And it beat apologizing.

"Years back, some people put adamantium over my skeleton, so it wouldn't break. Thanks to my healin' I lived it through. I don't really remember it, though. Lost my memory years back."

Cameron heard the resentment that was laced with his growly voice. "You should be happy you don't really remember."

Logan stared.

"It sounds hella painful," she explained. "I sure as hell wouldn't want to remember the details of something like that."

The Wolverine actually paused to think about that. From what his nightmares and Stryker had told him, his past was not a happy one to begin with. And although the principal the search for his memory was to understand himself, was it worth the pain?

He did not even notice that they had arrived in her room until she poked his arm and said "Hey, Clawboy."

His eyes floated back to hers. "Yeah?"

Cam scrutinized him closely; when they were not at each other's throats, she had to admit there was something about his feral looks that appealed to her. After all, no one understood 'feral' like she did.

"What do you do around here?" The thought of him teaching seemed weird.

"I run the Danger Room stuff, and do the man work around here." Now that Scott was gone he had taken over the role of maintaining the vehicles and acting as security.

"Man work?" Cam shook her head. "Whatever." She turned into her room and shut the door, but not before Logan heard a muttered "Male chauvinist pig."

He fought to keep the smile from his lips as he walked back to the Danger Room. He did not want to scare the kids, after all.

Maybe she wouldn't be so bad. _Cameron. Cam…_


	7. Chapter 7

**More action coming next chapter; this one is more about settling in. Please leave any questions or comments you may have; it's a big motivation for me. Thanks for reading! **

The next week was a blur for Cameron. Every morning she and Link would get up around six and hurry downstairs for a hearty breakfast. After two more days of guarding her brother during class time, Cam decided to leave him on his own. Already since coming here she could see some improvement in him; he was still shy, something that would never leave him, but he now had a group of friends closer to his age, and could now converse more easily with new people.

The Danger Room fascinated Cam to no end, and Hank seemed happy to explain its inner workings to her when he had time. He almost seemed lonely at times, hunkered down in the basement when he was not teaching, so Cam's cheerful greeting of "What's up, Doc?" was a bright point in his day.

Angel and Cam had grown remarkably closer, and after the sun set the two would take to the skies together, with the woman using the wind and Warren his wings. Once out of his quiet shell, the rich young man proved to be a good friend.

Even in San Fransisco almost all of Cameron's few real friends were male; she had never really thought about this until she befriended Storm. The Nubian beauty, with her culture and feminine ways, made Cam realize how much more comfortable she was with the opposite sex than with her own.

It became blindingly obvious when Storm had kindly offered to take Cam shopping. Both Link and his sister had enough sets of clothes for a week, and nothing else. And upon seeing the state of Cameron's raggedy tank tops and shorts, Storm had taken immediate action. Cam had been, quite literally, dragged through every store in the mall. Link had gone separately with his friends.

This brought up another problem in Cam's head: money.

"Okay, give me something to do," she ordered the next day as she burst into Xavier's office. Luckily he was alone.

The Professor did not seem startled at all. _Well, no duh_, the woman grumbled to himself. _Just because he can't read your thoughts don't mean he doesn't know you're there_.

"Well, what would you like to do?" the man questioned calmly. His blue eyes gazed right into her, almost in a silent challenge.

"Um…" Cam had not stopped to think about that. But when it came down to it, it was basically a question of her strengths. What was she good at?

"I can fight."

Xavier nodded. "Yes, you can. I would have already offered you a uniform by now, if there were not certain complications I wanted to discuss. Really, only two. The first and most important is the question of your Class Five abilities. I believe that Jean's powers were unlocked through a multitude of stressful situations that had occurred at the time. If put it a similar situation in which you or your loved ones-"

Cam immediately thought of Link.

"- were in harm's way, would you lose control as she did?"

The woman looked down at her black boots. "It's possible," she admitted quietly. "But it's the only thing I'm good at."

"Hm…" The Professor sat in deep thought for a minute. "You have remarkable control of your abilities. How do you use them when surrounded by people, in a city?"

Cameron grinned. "Creativity. There's a lot of ways to use mutations, and not all are obvious. I helped Link figure out his powers when he got them last year. Do you have any idea what some of the kids here can do, even if they're Class Two ones or something?" She was starting to get excited. "Even Storm! You know our powers ain't all that different. There are so many loopholes that we can use to create a lot of stuff, and we don't have to start blasting lightning out to do it you know."

Xavier was watching her rant with a bright gleam in his eye. When she finally paused for a breath, he spoke calmly. "How would you like to teach a class here? Think of it as…as a Gym class, for mutants. You can train them, keep them fit and show them how to use their powers as you do. I believe it will aid them greatly."

"Wow," the Class Five murmured. "You know I'm no teacher, right?"

"But you are, as you say, creative. I think that's just what these children need."

He gave her a few minutes to mull over the idea. And the more she thought about it, the more excited she got over the idea. "I'll do it."

"Good." He smiled. "The only other issue I have with your joining the X-Men is that…well, I have noticed you are not one to follow others' orders."

"Nope."

"Storm leads the X-Men. Her orders are to be followed."

"If they make sense, I'll do it."

"And if they don't?"

"Then I'll…make a suggestion."

He sighed. "The decision will be up to her. You may participate in Danger Room exercises with the other team members. Based on her evaluation Storm will decide what to do."

A wide smile broke out on Cam's face. "Sweet. So I-" Suddenly she froze, body tense, before her eyes turned to fire and she rushed out the door.

Worry creased Xavier's forehead. _Logan, please head to the recreation room. We may have a problem_.

Link was cornered against the wall, two wider and older boys laughing around him. "Whatcha gonna do, huh?" The larger one growled. "Stay away from my girl, or I'll smash your face into the wall."

The next moment he was pulled back by his shirt and shoved into the wall next to Link. His eyes widened when he saw two orbs of pure fire staring at him, along with a mouth that was twisted into a fierce snarl.

"Not before I smash you first, you piece of sh-"

"What's goin' on?" The Wolverine strolled into the room, taking a quick glance at the frightened students before honing in on Cam, Link, and the other two boys.

"Cam," he warned.

It took every ounce of her will to pull away, but when she saw the look on Link's face she melted and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Come on, kid. I need a Diet Coke anyways," she said soothingly before pulling him out of the room. As she passed Logan the two shared a look.

In the past week she and the resident bad boy had come to a strange sort of truce. They no longer glared when in the same room, and even exchanged amused glances at the antics of the children. But lately Cam had also sensed his presence almost all the time. When she and Hank were in the Danger Room, he would suddenly appear and watch them. Even when she was flying above the grounds with Angel, she could smell his cigar from above.

Logan watched her leave the room and then turned his steely gaze on the now cowering bullies. "Professor's office. Now," he growled. "Rogue, keep an eye on 'em."

Two days ago, Xavier had called Storm and Logan, the senior team members, to discuss the possibility of Cameron joining the X-Men. The thought filled the clawed mutant with a sense of anticipation; watching her in the Danger Room with Hank almost every day had become one . of the highlights of his days. The way she moved and played with her elements as if she were dancing…not to mention how her tanks and shorts stuck to her skin after a particularly hard work out.

But there was something else about her. Kitty had been right about her growls being similar to Logan's. They were filled with the animalistic quality he was infamous for. There was also the way she moved, like an apex predator. There was something feral about her…

And although Logan was not aware of it, she was unwittingly appealing to every sense in his mutated body.

And both were completely blind to it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry this chapter's kinda short, but I'll make up for it in the next chapter. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy. Please leave your comments for me; it's nice to hear what people think, even if it's criticism. Seriously. ;)**

"Shit!" Cam yelped as one of her flames passed dangerously close to Peter…again. The entire X-Men team was in the Danger Room, battling three robots in a blizzard. As expected, Storm and Cameron were the most comfortable in this environment.

But that did not hide the fact that the Class Five was not handling this team situation well. Her attacks left no room for the other mutants to assist, and when they still attempted to help they were in her line of fire.

"End simulation!" Storm commanded, and at once the X-Men found themselves in the familiar white room. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief, except Cameron.

"Damn it!" she swore violently, sending a sheet of flame upwards. "I hate to state the obvious," she continued in a calm yet bitter tone, "but this ain't working."

"It's understandable," Storm reasoned with a sigh. "You've never had to work with a team."

The black-haired mutant shook her head. "It's not just that. I honestly could have finished all three robots off. I had a plan. But the plan didn't include you guys. I…oh, fuck this shit!"

With her eyes literally blazing- an indication of her anger- Cam stalked out of the Danger Room.

"I bet she could've," Angel said quietly. His team members turned their attention to him.

"Could've what?" Bobby wondered.

"She could've killed of those things faster than us. She's good at strategizing that stuff."

Logan scoffed. "When'd you get to know 'er so well?" he sneered.

Normally, quiet Angel refused to meet the ex-assassin's eyes. But today his blue gaze met the Wolverine's grey ones without fear. "She's a good friend of mine."

"Yeah, I've seen you lookin' at her." The steely edge in his tone surprised everyone.

Warren frowned. "Hey, you're the one that's been stalking her. Don't think I haven't noticed."

Six claws suddenly came into view.

"Enough!" Ororo yelled. "Logan, calm down."

The claws retracted, but Logan was still glaring. "She's right; fuck this shit." And he too walked out of the Danger Room.

His nose told him that Cam was near, so without thinking or even paying attention to his surroundings, the Wolverine followed his nose.

Before he even realized it, he was in the woman's locker room, and had stumbled upon his target. Unfortunately, she was only wearing one of her short shorts and a bra. She froze when she saw him enter, and met his wide expression with an impassive one.

Now Logan had seen plenty of naked bodies in his time, but this was the first time he could remember being so embarrassed by one. Not that she was ugly by any means; on the contrary, she had one of the best bodies he'd ever seen, lean and toned. He could see the muscles flexing under her brown skin.

One elegant black eyebrow arched high. "You gonna look away anytime soon?" she asked sardonically. Logan had expected her to yell at him, to run and cover herself, even to attack him. Her amusement threw him off guard.

Still, he decided to keep this view as long as he was not in any danger. "You okay?" he asked conversationally.

She nodded. "Yeah…you looking for something?"

Watching her eyes twinkling with their own light, Logan blurted out, "I think I found it."

"Oh." Surprise washed over her face. Not for the first time, the clawed mutant noted how expressive her face was.

Recovering, Cam grinned as she put on a blue tank top. Logan almost groaned in disappointment. "Shouldn't you be in the Danger Room, still?"

"I don't take orders for too long," he said with a shake of his head. "Took a mutant war to make me listen. I know it's hard and they ain't always the smartest, but in the long run they save you a lot. Knowin' you got them watching your back…they're good people."

"I know that," she snapped. "But they get in the way. I don't wanna hurt them." She sighed.

Logan watched her for a moment before grunting. "Want some lunch?"

"Wow," Cam said. "What time is it?"

"1:30."

"The kids probably took everything then."

That was probably true. Still, "We can eat out."

Her confused look was adorable, he thought. "Why are you bein' so damn nice all of a sudden?"

"I got some makin' up to do. Figured I might as well start now. So you want lunch or not?"

A slow smile spread across Cam's face. "Okay, Clawboy. But if the food's bad I'll flay you alive. Trust me, I can."

He let out a husky chuckle. "Pretty hard to burn through metal, darlin'. But you can try."


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry this chapter took a while! And thanks VERY much for all the watches, favorites, and reviews on the story (the reviews especially)! Keep them comin', and I'll do the same. Enjoy! :D**

To say Cameron had been surprised at Logan's offer of lunch would be a slight understatement. Previous to this she had considered him to be an acquaintance; neither a friend nor an enemy, but an ally. In fact, she had barely talked to him and felt that he had been disinterested in getting to know her, apart from learning about her mutation.

Their sudden lunch date caught her off guard. Cam was almost tempted to bring a hidden knife or something, in case he intended to finish her off when they were alone. From what she had observed, if anyone could do it, it would be him.

With this train of thought she had not noticed her companion stop until she rammed into his back. In most fairytale stories, this was when the male would magically twirl around and snag the woman by the waste to stop her from an undignified fall. But Cameron's life had hardly ever been a fairytale. She fell flat on her butt, something the Wolverine turned around just in time to witness.

Cam harrumphed and tried to glare up at him, but could not hold back her peals of laughter as she stood up and dusted her shorts off. Logan watched with a small smile at her unashamed behavior.

"Wow" was the next thing she said as she stare at the sleek vehicles in the parking lot. "Which one's yours? Hey, do I get one?"

"You'll have to ask Chuck. And there's my baby."

Cam's eyes widened at the large, rugged, most amazing black bike she had everything. "It's amazing!"

Logan gave her a surprised look, which she noticed.

"It has charisma."  
The clawed mutant laughed at that. "Yer one of a kind, I'll give you that."

Her answering smile made him feel like she had sparked one of her little flames inside of him.

"Nice place," Cameron commented as they both strode into the small pub. "It's…cozy."

Logan snorted. "You always describe things in weird ways?"

"Normally." They sat at a small table. From the familiar greeting the waiter gave Logan, Cam guessed he was a regular here.

They both ordered a hearty lunch after that heavy workout from before.

Cameron moaned as the hot barbecue sauce oozed down her mouth. The throaty sound sent a weird feeling in Logan's body, as he silently watched her.

"So," she began, "what's with you and Rogue?" She had gotten the gist of the events at the Statue of Liberty and Alkali Lake since arriving at the mansion, but she wanted to hear what he had to say.

If there was a safe topic, it was Rogue. As Logan described his dealings with the teenage girl, Cam noted the tenderness in his expression, something that softened his entire face.

"So what about you and that kid of yours?" he questioned when he finished.

It was Cam's turn to grin. "Link? I met him when he was ten. He'd run away from home. I told him I'd take care of him. It was…different. I'd been alone on the streets for so long, having someone else with me was hard at first; but it was so worth it in the end. Last year he got his powers. Freaked us both out, to be honest. But once we figured out what his powers were, I helped him with it. And it actually was really cool. You have no idea how many mutants pass you by in the street every day, until you have Link. And that's another thing! Do you have _any_ idea how many different mutations there are? I mean seriously, some of them are just so out of the box that I-"

Logan watched her ramble on for a full fifteen minutes, getting caught up in her passion and excitement. Her large grey eyes were alight as she ranted on and on about things that the Canadian had never stopped to think about. The feeling with which Cam spoke incensed him, made him believe in what she was talking about. That childish delight on her face as she spoke of the simple pleasures in her life, of Link, of her beloved city…

Neither noticed that she was practically yelling until the bartender drew their notice to a couple of angry anti-mutant customers. The pair hurriedly left.

"Sorry about that," Cam lamented as they sped back to the mansion. "Wow, first time someone takes me to lunch and we get kicked out. Just typical."

Logan grunted. "First time?"

"Well, it's not like I had a lot of money for expensive lunches, genius. I didn't even have a damn home!"

Sensing another onslaught of words, Logan remained silent. It was different having someone else with him on his bike. But it was not necessarily bad. The feel of her hands around his waist, her throaty chatter in his ears…

_Not bad at all_, he thought with a small grin, before he froze. _Jean_.

Ever since he and Cam had made amends a week ago, she had not entered his thoughts…or his dreams. The woman he loved, the woman he killed.

And he had just forgotten.

When they reached the mansion Cameron swung off the bike and felt the air to make sure Link was still in his class. When she turned to thank Logan, he was gone.

"Storm?"

"Yes, Cam?" The white-haired beauty gave a warm smile to the other woman. "Please, come in."

Cameron slowly entered the empty classroom and shut the door behind her. "Is something wrong with Logan?" She jumped right to the point.

Storm paused and stared at the Class Five. "What happened?"

"I don't know! He took me to lunch to calm me down from that Danger Room session, and everything was fine until we got back and then he just disappeared. And then when I saw him in the kitchen he wouldn't even talk; just became a grumpy bastard." She snarled the last part.

Ororo sighed. "I suppose I should tell you, what with you being a Class Five."

"Oh, what the fuck does that have to do with it?" Cam roared. "Are we back to that shit again?"

"Cameron, calm down." It took a few deep breaths, but the black-haired woman eventually nodded.

"Good." Storm sat down at her desk and sighed. "Jean was engaged to Scott Summers, another mutant who grew up with us. But when Logan game he fell in love with her as well. After Jea- the Pheonix, killed Scott, it transferred it's affections to Logan. To kill the woman he loved…he hasn't been the same since."

_Oh God_. Cameron closed her eyes. No wonder Wolverine had been so hostile to the thought of another Class Five.

"Cam?" Ororo said worriedly. "Are you alright?"

Cameron nodded and opened her eyes before giving a bitter laugh.

"Fuck."

Storm stared at her new friend as she left the room. Those two had more in common than they realized…she only hoped they would not destroy the mansion in the process of figuring it out.


	10. Chapter 10

**I am so so so soooooooo sorry for such a late update! It's just that, I've been having some supreme writer's block, and nothing I wrote was any good. And I'd rather not update at all then give y'all some piece of crap. **

**I know it's kinda short. It would help me a lot, and it definitely motivates me, when people favorite or follow or review my story. If you can, it would mean a lot to me. Thank you! **

Needing to let loose some steam, Cam trekked down to the Danger Room after spending some time venting to Link. Although he was only fourteen, he was the thirty-four year old's only confidante, and they quickly exchanged news.

When the Class Five reached her destination, the doors did not immediately slide open, which signaled that someone else was currently occupying the Danger Room. The curious woman therefore headed to the control room to watch. Inside the Danger Room was the Wolverine.

His shirt was off, his muscled form was covered in sweat, and his claws were slicing into a myriad of opponents. Cameron watched in fascination at the sheer animalistic rage with which Logan sliced down each enemy. For every hit he took, it only seemed to feed his fury. Strong powerful movements, overlying a fluid grace.

Cam recognized that look, those movements. They were like hers.

"End session," she ordered when she could no longer contain her impatience.

Logan growled as he heard her low voice. His injuries quickly healed and he threw back on a clean shirt as Cam slid through the Danger Room doors.

He waited for her to speak, to say those words that women seemed so fond of. 'We need to talk.'

Instead he heard the words, "I can talk to animals. One of the…side-effects, of my mutation."

Logan grunted. "So?"

"So…" Cameron moved towards the man. "So I felt you. Both sides of you. There's Logan, the mutant, and Wolverine the animal."

He did not reply. Although he had suspected ever since first meeting her that the girl had an animalistic quality, it still surprised him that she could sense the Wolverine in him. Most people just blended both sides of him into one crude man.

His silence irritated Cam, but she forcibly pushed down her anger and continued to speak. "Why've you been avoiding me? Is it because I'm a Class Five, like Jean?" The abrupt tenseness in Logan's muscles worried the black-haired woman. She knew she was treading on _very_ shaky ground, but she wanted answers. And patience was one of her weakest points.

"You don't know _shit_," he snarled, stalking towards her furiously. Cameron held her ground.

"Stay out of my problems." He was mere inches away from her now.

The black-haired beauty glared up at him. "You're making it my problem. One moment you want to be friends and the next you look ready to sic your damn claws into me all over again!"

"Friends?" Logan could not keep a hint of surprise from his voice.

"Yes, friends," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Then her eyes widened. Realization had finally struck her. Cam bared her teeth in a snarl and poked him in the center of his muscled chest. "You listen here, buddy. You think I'm the kinda girl that gets giddy over a lunch with some guy, you're out of your damn mind! I never wanted to be anything other than friends, I sure as hell ain't tryin' to replace Jean, and you better stop confusing me with her because from what I've heard, I'm the exact damn opposite of that woman. Got it? Now get out, it's my turn."

Anger, shock, and shame all welled up inside the Wolverine. But watching her angrily sweep across the Danger Room…it brought out another side to the animal in him. A passionate side.

"Ya ain't gonna make the team if you don't work with us," Logan said in a gravelly voice that alerted Cam to the Wolverine's presence. "So why don't ya start with workin' with one person?"

Despite her previous anger the Class Five snorted. "I wonder who," she replied wryly.

They shared identical feral grins for a moment, and it convinced them both of one thing: this was not over. _They_ were not over.


	11. Chapter 11

**Apologies are in order. It has been months since I updated, I know. Believe me, it was not because I had forgotten. I just get such horrible writer's block over the summer, and I've been traveling to places where free Wi-Fi is a gift from the heavens. So bear with me. **

**I'm not gonna beg for reviews or say something like "I won't update again until I get _ reviews." But that doesn't mean reviews are not welcomed and inspiring. **** Thank you!**

Today was the first day of Cameron's new job as a teacher. It was 8 in the morning, apparently too early for her students, as they trudged onto the huge expanse of grass with scowls and grumbles. All were dressed as Cari had specified, in gym clothes. There were twenty of them.

"Hey," Cam began nervously once they were all assembled and sitting down on the lawn. "For those of you who don't know, I'm Cameron. You can call me Cam. I can control the elements. And, in case you didn't get the memo, I'm your, um, teacher."

There were a few snickers. The rest were not awake enough to get the joke.

"So," she continued briskly. "I got a list of you guys, ages, and powers. I'll learn your names as I go along, I hate taking roll. This class is will be taken four days a week- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. You'd better be here at 8 sharp, or you're screwed. You'd better not be whiny and bratty in this class, or you're screwed. You'd better not kill anyone in this class, or you're doubly screwed. This ain't just P.E. or whatever. You're gonna work more, think more, be more." Cameron could see all their faces fall, and held back a grin.

"But," she continued strongly. "You'll learn to use your powers like you've never even imagined. I know, I know, that's what Baldy is for. And I'm sure he's done a great job. But I can teach you new ways to fight with your powers, to hide with your powers, even just to walk with your powers. Whether you ever plan on fighting in this world or not, there's still so many things you could use your powers for. And it doesn't even matter what they are. I control the elements; simple, right? Wrong! I don't just spend my time shooting fireballs and making water fountains attack people. I can copy a telekinetic person, I can fly just as well as Bir- Angel, I can warm your coffee, freeze your ice cream, or whatever I want. I can teach you guys to do that too. Now, for those of you who don't want to take this class anymore, now's your chance. Walk away, no questions asked, no hard feelings. Go."

One girl got up and left. The rest stayed. Cameron heaved a sigh of relief. "Good, now let's get started. Ten laps around this lawn thing. Go."

From atop the hill nearby, Logan watched the Class Five push the kids to their limits. His lips quirked up; she was doing better than anyone expected.

His new "friend" was turning out to be a lot different than what the Wolverine had expected. It felt nice to find someone who could understand him without looking into his mind or giving a ten-minute lecture.

With a sigh, though, Logan turned around to gaze at two graves. Jean Grey and Scott Summers. Two people that he would always respect, and never forget. Scott, despite being a dick, was an honorable dick. That was more than Logan would ever be.

And Jean…

He was not ready to talk about Jean yet. It was too soon to let her go.

But that did not mean he had to ignore what was right in front of him.

"Everyone's talking about your class," Link told his 'sister' over a huge sandwich. "They said you're harder than Wolverine."

Cam laughed. "Scarier than Clawboy, huh? Wait till he hears that."

"Hears what?"

They both held in snickers as the object of their discussion strolled into the dining room.

"If you're looking for that hidden stash of beer that everyone knows about, I think Storm found it and threw it out."

"What?!" Logan snarled and slammed the cupboards shut. "That woman…_no one_ touches my beer."

"So why do you have to hide it?" Cam asked cheekily.

The Wolverine growled at her. "That doesn't matter. Wait till I get my hands on Storm. Hey, Storm!"

"Yes, Logan, call her, I'm sure she'll come running," the black-haired woman said sarcastically. "And unless you want a lightning bolt shoved up your ass, you might wanna shut your mouth and just dig your beer out of the dumpster."

Logan rolled his eyes before a thought popped up in his head. A devilish smile lit his face. "Sure, you wanna come with me?"

Cameron and Link stared at him in surprise, though the young boy was too scared of the rugged man to open his mouth.

After a moment Cam shrugged. "Okay."

"Wow, who'd wanna throw this away?"

Logan glanced up and raised his eyebrows when his friend held up a lacy blue thong. He sniffed the air and then crinkled his nose; he knew exactly who that had belonged to, and she had thrown it away. He would need to have a talk with her later.

Cameron saw the look on Logan's face and burst out laughing.

"What?" the handsome man wondered.

"Your face," she chuckled. "You look cute when your nose is all scrunched up like that."

Logan blinked. "Cute, huh?" He had never heard that one before.

"Yeah, cute. Like a lollipop!" Cam burst into guffaws at that.

"Oh, yeah?" And suddenly large warm hands were around her waist and the thirty-four year old Class Five was dissolved into giggles as she was tickled by a merciless Wolverine.

"Stop, stop! Please stop!" She gasped, with tears of laughter running down her cheeks.

Logan stopped and only then realized that he was laughing. Actually laughing.

The sound seemed foreign coming from his mouth. But it felt good.

And only then did both mutants realize that his hands were still around his waist, and that her back was pressed against his hard chest.

For some reason, neither of them minded too much. But Cam pushed aside that thought and stepped away from him.

"C-come on," she said hastily. "I don't think we're gonna find your beer tonight."

Logan nodded and silently followed her back through the patio. But his body was begging for more of that warmth that Cameron excluded. So, masking the nervous pace of his heart with casual movements, he wrapped his arm around the woman's waist and held it there until they were inside. And although her body was tense, she did not move away.


End file.
